During surgery, you wear a hospital gown. After you've recovered and are ready to be discharged from the facility, you can change into the clothes you wore when you first arrived. You may want to bring a change of underwear and some toiletries to freshen up before going home.
General Guidelines. Wear loose-fitting clothing. Leave all jewelry and valuables at home. You must have a responsible escort to accompany you home if you have sedation or an anesthetic.
Tampons– If you have your period on the day of surgery, you will be asked to remove your tampon. The hospital should give you a pad to wear, but it might be a good idea to bring one just in case.
Clothing/Hygiene: We suggest loose fitting, comfortable clothing and shoes be worn the day of your surgery. You may bring socks to wear. Do not wear contact lenses, make-up, nail polish, hairpins, or jewelry, including body piercings.
Comfortable, loose clothes are best. Bear in mind that hospital wards are usually warm. Don't forget underwear, socks, and slippers. A dressing gown is also handy for times you don't feel like getting dressed.
Once you register for your procedure at the facility, the surgical team will ask you to remove your clothes and put on your hospital gown. You may want to bring a backpack or small bag to store your clothes in.
Just before the operation
You'll be asked to get undressed and change into a hospital gown. The details of the operation will be explained to you. For many operations, a needle connected to a drip will be put into your hand. This allows fluids, nourishment and medicine to be given while you're under anaesthetic.
The legs are flexed (less than 90 degrees) at the knees and hips with padding placed underneath the knees and ankles with the toes lifted and free from compression. A table strap may be used across the middle of the thighs.
If you're having general anesthesia, an anesthesiologist will give you medications that make you lose consciousness. After the surgery is complete, he or she will reverse the medication so that you regain consciousness — but you won't be wide awake right away.
Oral hygiene must be excellent prior to surgery. Therefore, way in advance of the surgery, the patient should brush, floss, and care for their teeth and gums twice a day. On the morning of surgery, brush and rinse with mouthwash or water.
On the day of surgery, you may be asked to arrive several hours before your procedure is scheduled to begin. This allows the staff to complete any tests that cannot be performed until the day of surgery.
Can I wear deodorant before surgery? Refrain from using deodorants, powder, perfumes, lotions and moisturisers, as the products can leave residue on your skin.
CHG Shower and Sleep
Taking two showers (one at night and one in the morning) with CHG soap removes germs and reduces the risk of infection.
These gowns tie at the back so please keep your underwear/pyjama bottoms on if you wish to. Please also put your dressing gown and slippers or comfortable shoes on. Remove any contact lenses, nail varnish, make up and jewellery before going to theatre.
If you have problems removing rings, contact a jeweler. All valuables, such as jewelry and credit cards should be left at home. Only light make-up should be worn, with no make-up around the eyes. All nail polish should be removed prior to surgery, including polish on toenails.
Wash your hair with shampoo, but do not use conditioner. If your surgery will be on the head or face, wash your hair with baby wash. Wash your body from neck to feet with Scrub-Stat 4%, finishing with the groin and anal area. Leave the soap on for 2 minutes, and then rinse your body well.
Patients do not talk during the anaesthetic while they are unconscious, but it is not uncommon for them to do so during emergence from anaesthesia.
The anaesthetic should take effect very quickly. You'll start feeling lightheaded, before becoming unconscious within a minute or so. The anaesthetist will stay with you throughout the procedure. They'll make sure you continue to receive the anaesthetic and that you stay in a controlled state of unconsciousness.
Next, patients lose the ability to respond. “They won't squeeze your fingers or give their name when asked,” Nash says. “Finally they go into deep sedation.” Although doctors often say that you'll be asleep during surgery, research has shown that going under anesthesia is nothing like sleep.
“There is a medication called Sevoflurane, which is a gas that we use commonly to keep patients asleep there's some increased incidence of crying when that medication is used,” said Heitz. But he suspects many factors could be involved; the stress of surgery, combined with medications and feeling slightly disoriented.
Patients that are under general anesthesia feel nothing, and are unaware that any time has passed during the procedure. For the patient under general anesthesia, it seems as though they blink and the procedure is over.
The majority of patients will breath on their own during surgery. The LMA keeps you from snoring or having significant obstruction of your airway passages. In select patients, including very obese patients, an endotracheal tube (ETT) will be inserted instead of an LMA.
Every patient's length of stay in the PACU is different, but on average it is usually one to three hours. This depends on factors such as type of surgery, the patient's response to surgery and anesthesia, and medical history. Most patients remember very little regarding their recovery room experience.
Getting ready for surgery
You may expect some of the following to happen: You may need to change into a hospital gown. You will receive an ID bracelet. An intravenous catheter (IV) may be inserted in your forearm or other location for anesthetics and other medicines.